Joseph L. Peschel

Joseph L. Peschel died in La Jolla, California on Thursday, October 21^st, 2021, after a long illness.  Beloved father, husband, grandfather, great-grandfather, and uncle, Mr. Peschel, was born on March 13, 1931, in Sioux City, Iowa, and grew up there.   He graduated with honors from Trinity high school and attended Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, before joining the Air Force in 1951.   After his stint in the regular Air Force, he became a full-time Air National Guardsman, stationed at the 174^th Tactical Fighter Squadron, later re-designed as the 185^th Tactical Fighter Group in Sioux City.  He remained in the Guard for the rest of his military career until the late 1980’s, when he retired as a Chief Master Sergeant. 

On August 7^th, 1954 Mr Peschel married Jeanine Solomon, also of Sioux City.  Mrs. Peschel died in September of 1962.  He is survived by his five loving children: Janice Christensen, June Peschel, and Mary Beth Kirkegaard of Sioux City; Jeanine Peschel and Joan Waitt of La Jolla; and Joseph F. Peschel and Elda Stone of North Sioux City, South Dakota.   Mr. Peschel leaves behind grandchildren, Virginia Peschel, Hailey Waitt and her husband Jordan Gafa, and Max Waitt, all of La Jolla; Sophia Waitt and Emily Waitt of Los Angeles, California; and Jason Christensen of Urbandale, Iowa: and two great-grandchildren, Jason’s sons Lincoln and Dylan.

Mr. Peschel is also survived by a brother Fred Peschel living in Redmond, Washington; nieces Cindy and her husband Richard Hull of Gig Harbor, Washington; Chri Peschel of Kirkland, Washington’ Rene Szafryk of Yakima, Washington’ and a nephew Brian and his wife Kim Peschel of Seattle, Washington.  Mr. Peschel’s sister-in-law Carol Shields lives in Madison, Alabama.   His nephew Fred David Peschel died in 1995. 

In 1975, he married Unis Pennington, and after retirement, the couple eventually moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, where they lived for decades.  Unis passed away ten days after Mr. Peschel.